The present invention relates to a vertically carrying apparatus that carries an object vertically by use of a superconducting coil and armature coils.
In conventional vertically carrying apparatuses, for example, elevators, lifting devices, etc., an object is carried vertically by winding or unwinding a wire (or chain) by means of a rotational prime mover, for example, an electric motor.
Since the conventional vertically carrying apparatuses are designed to carry an object vertically by winding or unwinding a wire (or chain) by means of a rotational prime mover, e.g., an electric motor, as described above, when vertical conveyance for a long distance is to be effected, the wire lengthens, so that the wire's own weight that acts on the wire as a load may exceed the tensile strength of the wire. In such a case, it becomes impossible to perform vertical conveyance. If the cross-sectional area of the wire is enlarged in order to increase the tensile strength, the wire's own weight increases by an amount corresponding to an increase in the cross-sectional area of the wire, so that it also becomes impossible to effect vertical conveyance. Thus, in this type of vertically carrying apparatus, the distance for which an object can be carried vertically is limited by the wire's (or chain's) own weight.
If a superconducting coil and armature coils are used, it is possible to carry an object vertically without using a wire or chain. However, the conventional apparatuses of this type are adapted for horizontal conveyance, and if such an apparatus is applied to vertical conveyance, problems which will be stated below arise. One example of the conventional horizontally carrying apparatuses that carry an object horizontally by use of a combination of superconducting and armature coils will first be explained with reference to FIG. 13. A vacuum vessel 04 is attached to a carrying capsule (not shown). A helium container 012 is accommodated and secured in the vacuum vessel 04. A superconducting coil 03 is accommodated and secured in the helium vessel 012. Reference numeral 014 denotes bands that are used to secure the vacuum vessel 04 to the carrying capsule. In operation, the current value of each of the armature coils (not shown) that are horizontally arranged side by side outside the carrying capsule is controlled in accordance with the movement of the carrying capsule so that magnetic fields B that are produced around the armature coils intersect vertically to a persistent current I that flows in the superconducting coil 03, thereby obtaining horizontal thrust force F at the portions A and C of the superconducting coil 03 and further obtaining carrying capsule levitating force at the portion B. If this horizontally carrying apparatus is applied to vertical conveyance, the arrangement may be such as that shown in FIG. 14. In this figure, reference numeral 01 denotes a carrying capsule that accommodates an object to be carried. A vacuum vessel 04 is secured to the carrying capsule 01 through bands 014, and a helium vessel 012 is accommodated and secured in the vacuum vessel 04. In addition, a superconducting coil 03 is accommodated and secured in the helium vessel 012. The vacuum vessel 04, the helium vessel 012 and the superconducting coil 03 are directed vertically, and armature coils are vertically arranged side by side, surrounding the carrying capsule 01. In this case, upward thrust force F is obtained at the portions A and C of the superconducting coil 03, shown in FIG. 13, but no upward thrust force F is obtained at the portion B. Therefore, it has heretofore been necessary in order to obtain large upward thrust force F to increase the overall size of the vertically carrying apparatus, resulting in a rise in the construction cost.